Eovaldi throws 6 no-hit innings, Rays beat A’s

OAKLAND — Nathan Eovaldi’s return to the major leagues could not have gone better. Literally. Eovaldi threw six no-hit innings for the Tampa Bay Rays in his first big-league outing since Aug. 10, 2016, walking one and throwing 70 pitches, which was enough in a 6-0 win over the Oakland A’s

Manager Kevin Cash made what may have looked controversial but actually was an easy decision to take out Eovaldi, who spent all of 2017 recovering from a second Tommy John surgery, then after a solid 2018 spring was further set back when he underwent March 30 arthroscopic surgery to remove cartilage chips from his elbow.

The Rays promptly lost the no-hitter, as Wilmer Font, the former A’s righty in his Tampa Bay debut, allowed a single to Jed Lowrie, the second batter of the seventh, though nothing else over two innings. Vidal Nuno worked the ninth as the Rays logged the 15th one-hitter in franchise history, first since May 29, 2016.

And the Rays won their fifth game in a row and improved to 28-26, the first time they’ve been two games over .500 since Aug. 10, 2017.

Eovaldi was sharp from the start, throwing a 98 mph fastball on his first pitch and retiring ex-Ray Matt Joyce on a liner to right.

Eovaldi walked No. 2 hitter Matt Chapman on four pitches, and then retired 17 in a row, looking comfortable and confident on the mound, mixing his pitches in working effectively and efficiently.

Eovaldi, 28, was a good but not great starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins and New York Yankees, compiling a 38-46, 4.21 record over parts of six seasons before the August 2016 elbow injury that led to the second Tommy John surgery. He had the first when in high school.

In making it back, Eovaldi made history, just the 35th to pitch in the majors after two TJs, and only the 12th to start. And he can make more going forward, as only six of those started more than four games.